While this isn’t exactly Islanders news, I figured it was worthy enough to note for several reasons. Here we have two former Islanders, one came at a time the franchise was at one of its low points and another came at the start of a spat of successful seasons. Without really beating a dead horse with lots of details, here is my take on why Garth made the correct move in not pursuing these players.

Trevor Linden is 37 years old, and had his fair share of success in the NHL – most recently with The Canucks. While his time with the Isles wasn’t the highlight of his career, it would have been nice to see him return and help the franchise restore the respect and credibility the franchise one enjoyed. On the other hand, there needs to be a balanced roster – and for that reason I do not feel that Linden would have been the best addition to our current roster.

Michael Peca, all fond memories aside – while younger than Linden, is a player who up until yesterday was looking for a home in the league. Although his age would normally be a non-factor – his health is what makes teams question if the risk would outweigh the reward, or if he would be the piece that would make your team a true Cup contender. Again, while our roster COULD have benefited with Mike’s presence – I do not think he is the type of player we need moving forward with our current roster.Looking ahead, I hope should a move be made (through signing or trade) – it is for a younger forward (either a left side wing or center) and a defenseman that you can build a team around.